Much more going on now we’re back in modelling season. At the start of October Half Term, we had a very successful outing of “St. Martin’s Wharf” at Rail-Ex Taunton; the Somerset Club putting on another excellent show in what must be a unique venue. The school dinners were indeed fantastic, and not like they used to be – well, at least in your editor’s experience anyway!

Dave H was responsible to organising its appearance at the show and commented afterwards:

“St. Martin’s Wharf went down very well at Taunton. It looked beautiful and performed well. The switch to DCC meant that it was much more enjoyable to operate than the last time it went out. The main problem we had was invisible muck on the track (which we solved in the end by polishing all the rails with fine emery) and the usual teething problems with AJ couplings. By the end of the show we had a set of stock which coupled and uncoupled reasonably reliably!

Thanks to everyone who helped to get the layout and stock into an exhibitable state, and to all those who helped with shipping it to Taunton and back, or operating at the show. Once we’d set it up and added all the vehicles, people and other bits and bobs it looked stunning. I believe BRM want to come to photograph it one day, so we better make sure the rats don’t get into it again!”

The fully modelled truss bridge…

…and with train passing over.

John has had a major wagon building binge. These are all 7mm scale 0 Gauge wagon kits that have been languishing in a cupboard for many moons, built while taking tea or rain breaks from gardening. This coke hopper is a Parkside kit.

This ex GWR hybar is from a Coopercraft kit. It is loaded with wagon sheets. About 1960 John went to North Norfolk on his bicycle and visited the remains of Melton Constable Works. Ruination was all around me, except one building where six men in protective clothing were making wagon sheets. The canvas was hung up on a rail and was covered with some evil smelling thick liquid, coat after coat, applied with nothing more advanced than sweeping brooms. The drips were drained into a bucket for further use.

This Parkgate is a Slaters kit. What a dirty mucky place Parkgate was when John had to pass through it on my way to my office in Sheffield city centre.

This ex Midland three plank open now works for the civil engineer. It is loaded with ballast – likely to be from Morris & Perry at Gurney Slade by the look of it. This is another Slaters kit.

Finally, this SR six plank open is from a Parkside kit. In the late seventies or early eighties John took the train from Axminster to London for a meeting and parked in the sidings east of Salisbury station in this livery. A bit grubby but wearing this attractive brown. It is loaded with sacks.

Continuing the wagon theme, Pete C has been working on the above in 4mm scale EM Gauge. All are from Cambrian kits. Left to right – Mermaid, SR Walrus waiting lettering and destroying the NATO anti radar black (the black was let down with white), and Oyster modified Shark kit (longer Cabin than a Shark).

Jim has been continuing the wagon theme, but in 2mm finescale of course. The Whale/Seacow project has slightly ground to a halt due to boredom, so his attention has switched to other “gloat boxes”, otherwise known as box files. In one, he found ten completed plastic bodies from TPM (Bernard Taylor) for JUA bogie aggregate wagons, converted from iron ore tipplers for the Merehead to Acton flows with Foster Yeoman. The kits are now available from the N Gauge Society.

One already had the 2mm Scale Association replacement bogie kits fitted and there was a note saying “nine more needed”. Duly ordered, they came last week and all ten pairs of bogies are now constructed. They are a nickel silver etch with whitemetal castings attached and take standard 2mm wheels on 12.25mm long axles (rather than N gauge ones around 14.8mm long). On the next page is a picture of the workbench with one completed wagon and the bogies in various states of assembly. The tiny top hat bearings need filing down so the castings can be super-glued to the etches and a little jig to help with this (the T-shaped things on the left hand cutting mat) is included in the etch, as are replacement ladders and handbrake wheels. Is he Mad or what?

Dom has been constructing the most fantastically detailed 4mm scale point rodding for “Coombe Town” – just needs rust and a little grease…

This is the latest addition for Simon K’s Cerne ‘shunting plank’, a 7mm scale/O Gauge Minerva Siphon G in crimson, renumbered and fitted with battery boxes and dynamo. Then beautifully weathered by Mike B and pictured on his Melcombe Magna layout. Your editor can vouch that when it was delivered to Mike it was the very brightest of bright crimson!